[meteorite-list] Venus Catastrophic ResurfacingHypothesisChallenged

From: Kelly Beatty <jkellybeatty_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:35:08 -0400
Message-ID: <28637428A42F4226BBAEF0B04DD08DEF_at_NightSkyGuy>

Sterling and all...

> A decade or so was wasted on "geological" mechanisms
> that could re-surface without outside interference. They
> were largely hooey that convinced no one, posing improbable
> mechanisms to accomplish world-wide simultaneous subduction.

*way* too sweeping a generalization. it's true that there's no consensus on
what triggered the resurfacing of Venus, but the discussion mostly surrounds
whether it's periodic (i.e. it'll happen again) or was a one-time event that
fundamentally altered the planet's internal heat flow.

regardless, large-scale cratering only 600 million years ago would leave an
unmistakable gravity signature - and there ain't none.


clear skies,
Kelly

****************
J. Kelly Beatty
Senior Contributing Editor
SKY & TELESCOPE
617-416-9991
SkyandTelescope.com list
Received on Mon 26 Apr 2010 04:35:08 PM PDT